3 - in - 1 Daily Devotionals
A Cherokee Feast of Days
by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
To some, power is domination, ruling anything defenseless. But that isn't power, it is abuse, and abuse is cowardly. Abuse takes advantage where it can, always pretending to be the victim, but looking for the opportunity to overpower. Forget the idea that power is from the world. Whole worlds have been changed in minutes. Power that was bold and bragging can suddenly be a whimper. Empires have crashed and those that caused so much misery have deflated like balloons. Real power is not nigvnhdiha, which is understood by the Cherokee to be put on. It is from an inner source, characteristically calm, like a great river that flows smoothly but drives huge cities with energy. A single drop of water seems powerless and takes the way of least resistance, but joined to all the others, it has force. One person may seem inadequate to change anything, but united with others, can change anything.
~ The red man must leave the land of his youth and find a new home in the far west. ~
SHABONEE, 1827
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Elder's Meditation of the Day - February 9
"It can be 100 degrees in the shade one afternoon and suddenly there comes a storm with hailstones as big as golf balls, the prairie is all white and your teeth chatter. That's good-a reminder that you are just a small particle of nature, not so powerful as you think."
--Lame Deer, LAKOTA
No event, no relationship, no joy, no sadness, no situation ever stays the same. Every setback is only temporary. Even setbacks change. Why? Because the Great Spirit designed the world to be constantly changing. We are not the center of the universe, we are but a small part. The whole is constantly changing, and we as humans are constantly participating in the change. We have two choices, to resist change or participate in the change. Every change can be resisted, and every change can be made in cooperation. What will I choose today, resistance or cooperation?
Great Spirit,
teach me to make cooperative changes.
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THINK on THESE THINGS
by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
To have the desire to quit in the face of despair is not a new story. As long as time, people have wanted to give up when something hinders their progress. But such adversity is sometimes the right time for people to become acquainted with themselves.
It has been written that a smooth sea does not make a skillful mariner. The storms of human life, like those of the seas, awaken us to sharpening our abilities and strengthening us to overcome these present storms to the point where we seldom have to face them again. Most of living is a lesson, and the sooner we learn to study and develop the sooner we are rid of the teacher.
But in the words of Jeremy Taylor, "It is impossible for that man to despair who remembers that his Helper is omnipotent." And it is impossible for people not to progress if they acknowledge their Helper in the most minute details of their lives.
Prepared for the worst? Forget it! Only worry prepares for the worst. If problems come to you, meet them with courage when they arrive. And worry has never produced courage. Faith produces courage, and keeps us from crossing all those unnecessary bridges. In fact, we cross bridges that have never been in existence, and have no strength except that which we give them by constant preparation for something that isn't good.
Promise yourself to cross no bridges this day except those you find immediately before you. And nine times out of ten they will lead only to happiness.
February 10 - Daily Feast
Great people from over the years have known the wisdom of taking time to set their minds adrift. They seem to sit idly on the sidelines - but they are really fishing in their minds for solutions rather than thinking only about problems. Creative work has always resulted from silent and deep thought. Physical weariness will disappear when the mind is allowed to ramble and rest. Knowledge comes from study and observation, but wisdom comes in the quiet times - and particularly when time is made for a da nv to - u ga na s dv which means "the sweet Spirit".
~ The ground says, "It is the Great Spirit that placed me here." ~
YOUNG CHIEF - CAYUSE, 1855
"A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
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Elder's Meditation of the Day - February 10
"The ground on which we stand is sacred ground. It is the dust and blood of our ancestors."
--Plenty Coups, CROW
Mother Earth is the source of life and the place all life returns to. She gives us life. She feeds us through our journey and she waits for us to return to her. The Indian way is to recognize the earth as the place of our ancestors. That is why certain places on earth are considered sacred areas and sacred land; this is the place of our ancestors. We all need to reflect upon the earth, the place where our ancestors lived. We need to have love and respect for the earth.
My Creator, let me honor the place of our ancestors, Mother Earth.
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THINK on THESE THINGS
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler
Leave yourself a choice. It is a sorry state of affairs when a person's life becomes so regimented that it is impossible to make even one change in plans. There is a story about a gentleman who kept a record in minute detail of his living and every cent he earned so that he could make a trip abroad. The record keeping became such an obsession that when he could make the trip he took along crackers to keep from eating in the dining room aboard the ship. The journey was nearly over before he discovered the price of his meals was included in the fare.
How much do we miss by refusing to accept the bounty of choices. "If only" and "I wish" are so over used. We bind ourselves daily by refusing to recognize the volume of opportunities open to each of us. All of life is not free, but there is much available for our personal selection.
Dr. William S. Sadler wrote of a woman who was so orderly and systematic in her living that she inquired of her minister how to go about dying since she had never done it before. Living in a systematic world is possible, but there are limits to what we can prepare for and about which to be orderly. Daily we meet and settle many small emergencies, and some not so small. And it is our developed ability to meet these things successfully and on the spur of the moment that makes a well rounded individual.
But the steady, uniform methods of doing things do not necessarily mean a person is ready to meet every situation in life. In fact, such living often makes changes practically impossible when change is sorely needed.
Order is heaven's first law. But order means first things first. A place for everything and everything in its place. Then, if we've learned how to live, we never have to worry about the art of dying gracefully.
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God's Minute
LET ALL THOSE REJOICE WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN YOU;
LET THEM EVER SHOUT FOR JOY. BECAUSE YOU DEFEND
THEM; LET THOSE ALSO WHO LOVE YOUR NAME BE
JOYFUL IN YOU.
( Psalm 5:11 *NKJV )
Dear Member's,
I received this message from one of our Member's this morning,
so I thought I would share this secret with you. May it minister to
you as it has to me.....
The Secret
One day, one friend asked another, "How is it that you are always
so happy? You have so much energy, and you never seem to get
down."
With her eyes smiling, she said, "I know the Secret!"
"What secret is that?" To which she replied, "I'll tell you all
about it,
but you have to promise to share the Secret with others."
"The Secret is this: "I have learned there is little I can do in
my
life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to
make me happy and to meet my needs. When a need arises
in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches.".
"I have learned most of the time I don't need half of what I think
I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that 'Secret',
I am happy."
The questioner's first thought was, "That's too simple!" But upon
reflecting over his own life he recalled how he thought a bigger
house would make him happy, but it didn't!
He thought a better paying job would make him happy, but it
hadn't.
When did he realize his greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor
with his grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a
story, a simple gift from God.
Now Member's, you know it too! We can't depend on people to
make us happy. Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that.
Trust HIM! And now I pass the Secret on to you!
With My Love & Prayers,
your servant , Pastor CougarMoon
